Printable View
[QUOTE=Traveler1234]Mr. Vice President
...
And don't believe everything Duni says, he is hansum man and does pay the same BF we pay :)
...[/QUOTE]Mr. Marketing Director,
I feel some jealousy :) ... What can we do, some of us have to pay, some not. If you had The Sir's experience as TQM director you would most likely also know how to convince the girls to go for free ... The Sir has something we don't have!
When will you be in Bangkok next time?
Giotto
[QUOTE=Giotto]Nuff Said,
LOL...BESTARD! Now you are no newbie any more!
Giotto[/QUOTE]I'm not? I only been there twice. Looking forward to returning in January, Just not sure which dates yet, but will be there in January.
[QUOTE=Piper1]At the risk of being labelled as one of the faithful supporters (which I am), I'll simply say I like the place - especially Room 114!
...[/QUOTE]Pipeman,
Thanks for your support.
You know who sleeps in 114 tonight? It is ... ME!!! Jau! Roomcheck! Will I find hooks? I am not sure :) ... but may be somebody hook me up! Let's wait and see.
Not sure about August yet, busy in the moment, but I hope to make it.
Giotto
[QUOTE=Traveler1234]When you do, include explanation re the BF of B700 for 'after the bar closes'?
...
I suppose it's to discourage private off the books arrangements?[/QUOTE]Mr. Marketing Director,
That is basically correct. The new rule has two reasons:
- to discourage private bookings from the girls with [b]customers they met in our Sports Lounge (!)[/b] The girls don't have to cheat then.
- to make it easier/cheaper for customers to barfine late, after having spend a lot of time/money in the Sports Lounge already.
Further explanations:
We have many new girls now, and some of them are already experienced in the business. Some of them of course get the idea to make dates with customers after the bar closes. It is so easy to meet at the 7/11 after 1 am...
If one girl starts with this, successfully practice it - she will talk to the other girls, and step by step it will be a general habit. We experienced such a development already.
We want the girls to be honest, honest in their deal with the customer and loyal to the bar. We FIRE them instantly if they do not follow the basic rules.
I know what some of the readers will think now. And I am sure, that I had strongly argued against such a report some years ago. But since 2+ years I am running this business, and I have my experiences with this ladies as a bar owner - and believe me, strict rules are absolutely necessary.
Giotto
[QUOTE=Giotto]Mr. Marketing Director,
I know what some of the readers will think now. And I am sure, that I had strongly argued against such a report some years ago. But since 2+ years I am running this business, and I have my experiences with this ladies as a bar owner - and believe me, strict rules are absolutely necessary.
Giotto[/QUOTE]
Damn, closed those loopholes and no more freebies....LOL.
Good rules, strict enforcement is key. Pleasant dreams :)
Life is hard - and unfair :)!
Yes, I suffer a lot here in Bangkok, every day! For you out there! Yes, I mean it! Have to go sleep now, wife just called ... she wants me in the plastic bed. Is waiting in her nappa leather G-String underwear - wait, I think I mix something up... she is for sure waiting with the teak wood baseball bat, as always...
What a hard life here in Bangkok :) ! How is it out there in the real world? I nearly forgot ... :):):)
Good Night!
Giotto
[QUOTE=Giotto]Yes, I suffer a lot here in Bangkok, every day![/QUOTE]
We feel your pain, Giotto. Right now you must be dreaming of angry customers swinging teak-wood baseball bats, complaining about all those 700 Baht items on their bills, supposedly for late night "cocktails" (!) that they had never charged to their credit cards (which are made of Nappa leather rather than plastic, of course!) ...
[QUOTE=Giotto]Life is hard - and unfair :)![/QUOTE]
I'm sure we can arrange something for you - how about a summer exchange program with a small hotel owner in Castrop-Rauxel, Germany? Too bad I won't be too tempted to visit you there however. Maybe taxis are plenty and always available in C-R. But I'm afraid there won't be six lovely ladies around to flag one down for me, instruct the driver and send me off! (Which was my last taxi experience in front of the Lodge, admittedly late at night rather than early in the morning ...)
Read SEAJs post and wanted to add a comment.
I have stayed in the Lodge twice in the last month, 3 days on each occassion.
Both times I had a great stay. Were there some minor niggles, yes. Did the team deal promptly with the ones I rasied. Yes they did.
Like most of the ISG members I travel a lot. If I wanted 5-6 stars and low risk of any "niggles" I would stay at the Sukumvhit Grande Sheraton. In fact I have stayed there over 25 times according to their records.
But consider this.
If I stayed there would I get a Sports Bar that feels like its part of a friend's house. No!
Would I be able to enjoy a well priced meal whilst sneaking looks up the dresses of some stunning young girls. No!
Would I be able to play 12 games of pool with the Hotel General Manager until late into the night. No!
When its time for bed would I be able to nod discretely at two glamouros girls add their bf's to my hotel bill and wander up to my room without a a taxi ride home or a walk of shame. No!
If estemeed senior members want coat hooks in the bath room I can confirm they are available in the Sheraton. Big silver ones. Based on a cost comparison with Livingstones they will cost you an additional 50US each night to enjoy but for sure they are there, along with the cab rank, 24 hour room service and orchids on your pillow but I shall be staying at the Lodge because on balance, for a mongerer like me, its better value (I even beat Giotto at Pool).
Max
Ps I was there at the lowest of low season. I love being one of two or three guys in the bar with 20 girls all eager to catch my eye!
Pps the only plastic in the room was my economy sized pack of raincoats in the bed-side drawer.
[QUOTE=Giotto]Traveler1234,
You are right, BF is THB 1,500 before 11 pm, THB 1,000 to 1 am / bar close and THB 700 afterwards.
I have the same experience like you - I go many times to the airport early in the morning. Within 5 min. I always got a taxi up to now.
[size=-4][b]{And I still like my furniture :) ! Real teakwood! We also don't have plastic covered chairs. There must be two Livingstone's :) !}[/size][/b]
Giotto[/QUOTE]Giotto,
I volunteer to come and check the 'leather' to see if they are plastics. Being from the plastic industry, I'll do a ISO audit.;). as for bar fines, that is what I paid after 11pm.
See you soon 'legs'.LOL.
(PART 1)
Greetings Y’all:
Cannot believe this! Just cannot believe this!
Here I thought I was just writing a completely honest report, based upon my stay and what I truly felt… and this all!
I do see though, that for the most part responses have been very balanced, quite well thought out and fair. But then again….
[QUOTE=Rambis Youth]Joe,
I think it's time to move on unless you want to portray a hidden agenda.
Rambis[/QUOTE]
Couldn’t agree more but let me emphasize that I do NOT have any hidden agenda at all. (What??? What hidden agenda could I possibly have?? Jeez!!). I believed and still believe that an accurate and true report of what I think about the Lodge should and could NOT do any harm. I had even passed a draft of the report to Giotto PRIOR to my posting it with request that he edit/modify anything on it. OK, perhaps here’s my hidden agenda – I had thought that my original report – warts and all - would have attracted more punters/ get their curiosity up to make them want to at least try staying there. As I stated all along, - and no matter what anybody says, the guy's got to be admired for being able to spot a niche, capitalize on it and seemingly prosper from it. I really did think that my piece would have helped him and his business (OK OK Giotto – Please, Please don’t tell me that you don’t need none of my help…that’s obvious!)
[QUOTE=Duniawala] As with all hotels, Livinstones is not immune to the fact that it has some deficiencies as well has many good things in its arsenal.
Is everything at his hotel great? No. Is everything bad? No.
... And the NAPA LEATHER (definition: Napa leather, or Nappa leather, is extremely soft and supple and is commonly found in higher quality wallets, toiletry kits, and other personal leather goods.)
....As with any other bars mistakes are sometimes made. So it is a good idea to check the bar tabs every time a slip goes in your cup.
…9. Checkout. I wish they had a full fledged billing software. I suspect, but I could be wrong, that the billing problems some have reported could be avoided if they moved away from manual billing. (I won't elaborate but Dr. G probably knows what I am alluding to.)
..10. Taxis. Yup, they are not always there in front of the hotel, but a simple request to the staff takes care of that. They will go out and get you a taxi, so I don't see that as an issue.
If you look at it overall, the issues are minor and they are in line with the industry
Duni. TQM Bestard Manager[/QUOTE]
Now here’s a good report and Jeez, I wish I had Duni’s writing talent – for basically he’s really said EXACTLY THE SAME THINGS I did – but did it soooo nicely!
Exeptin’ the fact that the furniture is definitely NOT covered with Napa leather – its covered with naugahide (?) – which IS PLASTIC
[QUOTE=1Ball] I think the situation is basically that Livingstone is like no other hotel most of us have ever experienced.
So it feels a bit like home, but it isn't. Personally the African theme leaves me cold, and the lights on the side of the bed are dumb looking, and the lights by the desk are
I, myself, have a huge problem … Do I wash my dirty laundry in public? No. I discuss it privately, and make my own choices. However, I think that griping about a taxi at 7.00 is a small problem, Most of the reports on this thread are positive, and that is because, even with the little problems, the annoyances, the quirks, Livingstone's fills a niche market, and is one of the best places in BKK when it comes to quality, location, mongering ease, food, entertainment, and friendliness.
SEAJ, I feel your pain. The Novotel is down the street.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Traveler1234]
The Marketing Director shares your exact sentiments and earlier this morning dispatched a PM to SEAJ rather than continue a public discussion.
T1234[/QUOTE]
Dirty laundry?? Whatcha guys talking about?. Lookit, I really cannot figure out what dirty laundry I, ME, MOI have? If you consider the points I brought out about the Lodge as “Dirty Laundry” well isn’t it Giotto’s laundry? And he had been the one to choose to reply point by point on them.
And what’s wrong with telling people that they’re going to have problems getting taxis in the morning (9;30 and not 7;00 am) there – heck, there are lots of other places with much much worse problems getting taxis. The one thing that I take exception to is you telling me that the Novotel is down the street. Even Giotto has up to now NOT even indicated that I would NOT be welcome at the lodge in the future, so who are you to be telling me that?
[QUOTE=Piper1] I agree with the rest of the 'faithful' about the good points of the Lodge.
I don't get bothered about small issues like lack of a door-hook, or even a misunderstanding on a bill, which happens everywhere from time to time. If it happens, I deal with it then forget about it.[/QUOTE]
I’d be the first one to tell every one “about the good points of the Lodge” and NO, I’m NOT bothered about small issues – not unless I get told off… and then have my good person subject to insinuation that I did something underhanded (re the bill). Now that got my gander!
[QUOTE=Giotto]
And things go wrong here - of course. Nothing is perfect. May be more than in other hotels here in Bangkok, which are big enough to work with SOPs. Usually I am the first who writes about those issues. I have no problems if somebody kicks my ass, but to label our employees here as "staff is still NOT up to the minimum standards that one would expect" is not acceptable for me.
Giotto[/QUOTE]
And Meinherr Giotto - how would you like me to write about your staff - especially since Guido AND YOU YOURSELF have concurred and gone so far as actually saying such. I could have written a much worse description but had refrained from doing so. And Puhellleeeze, don’t now tell me that all your staff is now perfect. Look-it, I accept that staff is staff, and that they cannot be expected to be perfect all the time. Your staff DO try their best and ARE eager to please, but…!
Minimum standards – to at least get my bill correct!
OK enough…. ENOUGH!! Let this sleeping dog lie OK? And YES I do very much need to put in the last word when there are aspersions being cast about me, my intention, my motive,… and whatever else. So guys…. OK?
SE Asia Joe
[QUOTE=Nuff Said]I'm not? I only been there twice. Looking forward to returning in January, Just not sure which dates yet, but will be there in January.[/QUOTE]Nuff Said,
No, no rookie any more. You stood on your own feet already last time when you were here.
Looking forward to seeing you again in January. How you are well, and everything is fine there in xxx xxxx.
Giotto
[QUOTE=Yin Yang]We feel your pain, Giotto. Right now you must be dreaming of angry customers swinging teak-wood baseball bats, complaining about all those 700 Baht items on their bills, supposedly for late night "cocktails" (!) that they had never charged to their credit cards (which are made of Nappa leather rather than plastic, of course!) ...[/QUOTE]Yin Yang,
Thank you for understanding me and my pain. If only angry customers I could life with that, but angry wifes with baseball bats...she did not let me sleep all night, this Thai women and their basic instincts ... yes, I suffer a lot :) !
[QUOTE=Yin Yang]I'm sure we can arrange something for you - how about a summer exchange program with a small hotel owner in Castrop-Rauxel, Germany? Too bad I won't be too tempted to visit you there however. Maybe taxis are plenty and always available in C-R. But I'm afraid there won't be six lovely ladies around to flag one down for me, instruct the driver and send me off! (Which was my last taxi experience in front of the Lodge, admittedly late at night rather than early in the morning ...)[/QUOTE][b]Castrop-Rauxel???[/b]Oh my god ... Germany. To be honest - no, thanks.
BESTARD!!!
Thanks for mentioning - the taxi and lady situation in the morning is definitely different. It is more difficult to get a taxi then, and the six ladies who flagged one down for you late night are still busy in recovering from the nightly activities.
Giotto
[QUOTE=1Ball]
I, myself, have a huge problem with one of Livingstone's policies, and Giotto is acutely aware of it. Do I wash my dirty laundry in public? No. I discuss it privately, and make my own choices[/QUOTE]
OK guys, I have received 8 (EIGHT) PMs from members asking what my problem with a Livingstone policy is.
It is a private issue with Giotto. If you really want to know, ask him, while you are having dinner at the lodge with him. I am sure he will tell you. But please, respect our privacy!!!
[QUOTE=Maxwell 100]Read SEAJs post and wanted to add a comment.
...
Would I be able to play 12 games of pool with the Hotel General Manager until late into the night. No!
...
I even beat Giotto at Pool.
...
[/QUOTE]Maxwell 100,
Thanks for your support.
I am a lousy pool player. I think about writing a long frustrated report as my next story, about my experiences and my attempts to learn to play.
I started 2 months ago to seriously try to understand pool - whe bought a new pool table, and I thought I should now try to play a bit better, and not to loose EVERY game. It is that easy, simply mathematics / geometric - YES!!!
But - up to now my performance is still lousy. Should I hire a trainer :) ?
Giotto